Good observations. I definitely got that feeling out of the entire project (the midget, the speck and the molecule on the cover, the galaxy on the back, etc) but I didn't take the time to see it in every song yet.

Although there are multiple themes to TMTSTM, a main theme I see is 'perspective' Perspective found in many different ways and means - the whole looking back in a rear view mirror after you have passed something and seeing it differently. And being 57, Terry probably has fair amount of perspective.

I can see that now that you point that out. Terry writes so well! Musically I love what everyone did. Especially the rhythm section... I like the percussion selections, never heard anyone do it that way. Also, Berger is undoubtedly Berger, but better, never heard him play as great, he's always been great!

So let’s get this out of the way first: I preordered the new Swirling Eddies album, The Midget, The Speck and the Molecule, on May 19, 2004.

I know this because I kept the receipt, though I did have to dig it out and check it once the album finally arrived this week. On May 19, 2004, I paid my $20, and waited, having no idea at the time that the record would take three years and two months to complete and ship. It’s the longest I’ve ever waited for an album I’d already paid for, and I admit there were times when I thought this record would never materialize.

Honestly, there are only a few artists I’d do this for, and the Eddies are among them. I don’t know quite how to begin explaining why. I suppose I should begin by explaining who the Swirling Eddies are, and how they came to be.

Once upon a time, there was an amazing spiritual rock band called Daniel Amos, or DA for short. They were led by a mad genius songwriter named Terry Taylor, a guy who has never been content with just one style, or just one identity. In addition to DA, Taylor writes the lion’s share of the songs for the Lost Dogs, kind of a Traveling Wilburys of spiritual pop music. He’s also been known to go by the name Dr. Edward Daniel Taylor when he’s feeling surly.

Anyway, in the 1980s, Daniel Amos released a string of brilliant but low-selling albums, including their Alarma Chronicles, a series of four interlinking records telling a cohesive story. As an encore, they released Darn Floor – Big Bite in 1987, an absolute stunner of an album that still stands as the best of their early work, despite the weird title. Fans praise it now, but in ’87, it was rejected completely by a music industry that didn’t quite grasp it. Plus, it sold terribly.

Upset with the reception his finest set of songs had received, Taylor decided on a bizarre left turn – he’d round up the members of DA and form a new band with them, one that could serve as an outlet for Taylor’s more sarcastic side. This band was the Swirling Eddies, and they released their first album, Let’s Spin, in 1988. The musicians all took on fake names – Taylor called himself Camarillo Eddy, for instance – and the album was a full-on sneer party. But it was nothing when compared with their 1989 opus Outdoor Elvis, which practically oozed anger.

They threw a curve in 1994 with Zoom Daddy, a slinky, strange, long record that, despite being released under the Eddies moniker, included everyone’s real names, and was a musical and lyrical tour de force for Taylor. Even now, 13 years later, it’s still one of his best records, and he has more than 30 to his name. Of course, the Eddies followed that up with Sacred Cows, a free-range slaughter of some of the crappiest Christian music ever recorded, including Amy Grant’s “Baby Baby” and Stryper’s “Sing Along Song.”

And then Taylor put the Eddies to bed. He did his cowboy thing with the Lost Dogs, made a phenomenal new Daniel Amos album in 2001, and seemed to settle into a late-career groove. It was clear that the Eddies were of their time, a manifestation of a younger man’s anger and disappointment. Does the world still need Camarillo Eddy? More to the point, does Terry Taylor still need Camarillo Eddy?

So yeah, even before the three-year wait (and even before we knew what it was called), The Midget, the Speck and the Molecule had a lot to live up to. Admittedly, 90 percent of the population has never heard of the Eddies, or of Terry Taylor, DA, the Lost Dogs, or any of the bands in this fertile little pocket of spiritual pop. But for those of us who know the story, and who’ve been following along, this is an Event. No, this is an EVENT.

I said before that I’ve never waited three years for an album I’d already purchased, and even though I remained patient throughout that time, The Midget had to be worth not only the 11 years since the last Eddies record, but also the small eternity that’s passed since Taylor started putting it together. Sing along if you know this song:

It was worth all that and more.

The Midget, the Speck and the Molecule is extraordinary, easily one of the finest albums of 2007. Far from the comedic knockoff that part of me was dreading, it’s a major work from the mind of Taylor, still one of the sharpest songwriters around when he’s on his game. The album brings together many of Taylor’s styles, and works in a few more he’s never tried. And yet, it is still absolutely a Swirling Eddies album, quirky and funny and a genuine treat to listen to.

__________________"Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for he shall enjoy everything" -St. Francis of Assisi

The music is terrific, some of it taking from DA and some from the Zoom Daddy sound, but it’s the lyrics that make this record. Taylor is in full glory here, writing about lecherous lotharios, lonely homeless men, despairing old couples, doubt, regret, humility, and even on a couple of occasions, his own band. This is top form Terry Taylor, every line a knockout, and every song inviting you to pick it apart and find the hidden meanings.

The album opens gently with “It All Depends,” and it’s immediately clear that there have been a few changes to the Eddies lineup. Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong of the Choir are all over this thing, Daugherty caressing the sweeter numbers with his trademark shimmering guitar, and Hindalong playing exotic percussion as only he can. Fellow Lost Dog Mike Roe is on here too, joining original Eddies Taylor, Jerry Chamberlain and bass god Tim Chandler. (The three best bass players in pop music, as far as I’m concerned, are Paul McCartney, Colin Moulding of XTC, and Tim Chandler.)

And so “It All Depends” whispers to life, a sweet acoustic guitar floating over delicate bongos and a cloud of ambient electrics. It’s a song about perspective – “Faith to move a mountain or a zealot’s wishful thinking, a connoisseur of the finest wines or just another drunkard drinking, one more dirty whistle blower or a conscience coming clean, I suppose it all depends how you look at these things…” But as it goes along, it gets louder and deeper, Taylor inviting you to share his perspective, whatever your own. Perhaps my favorite line in this song: “Some say death is a doornail, some say death is a door…”

The title track comes next, and it’s also surprisingly gentle, strange and beautiful. Taylor uses the title’s imagery to dramatize regret, I think – the old hitchhiker becomes a midget, then a speck, then a molecule in your rear view mirror as you drive away, the image of someone you failed to help haunting the rest of your journey. “Madonna Inn” is, of course, about the famous hotel in California, where each room is a different experience. This one sounds the most like Zoom Daddy, all slithering bass and low, half-spoken vocals. It’s spooky and sexy and terrific.

The album to this point has set such a mood that it’s almost a shame when middling rocker “Giants in the Land” ruins it. But Taylor saves “Giants” by making it perhaps the cleverest song about his own band he’s ever written: “There were giants in the land in those ancient days, there were giants in the land, now they’re in their graves, indifference killed ‘em, it buried the band, all they wanted was a tour and a rental van…” The final verse is almost a message to Taylor’s small group of devoted fans: “In those ancient days, there were giants in the land, you wanna raise them up, you gotta give them a hand…”

Naturally, of course, we did by pre-ordering this album three years ago, which makes the raucous “Medley of Our Hit” all the more inexplicable. This song is possibly the most insular thing I’ve ever seen an artist of Taylor’s stature do – it directly references the message board flap over the pre-orders, and takes people to task for whining about it. Leaving aside whether it’s a good idea for a guy with a few thousand fans to start calling them out by name, the song is a hoot, and it makes a perfect point – this preorder thing is not important, not worth complaining about. It’s just another “piece of hit.”

Or, you know, it all depends on how you look at these things, because some people were genuinely upset over the long wait, and a humble “we’re sorry,” either in song or in the packaging, would have gone a long way. (The entire thanks list: "The Swirling Eddies would like to extend their deepest love and utmost respect to us, the Swirling Eddies.") Still, this song is exactly the way Camarillo Eddy would react to the controversy, and the lyrics are deceptively self-deprecating: “Take the crank, give it a yank, ‘cause we’re on empty, so fill up our tank with good and plenty, milk and honey and money in the bank…”

I could name and describe each song, since they’re all highlights, but I won’t. (Okay, I do have to bring up “My Cardboard Box,” the tale of a lovestruck homeless guy. This is the funniest thing here, and Taylor’s Camarillo voice – lower and more guttural than his natural one – is perfect for it.) The back half of the album is flawless, playing like a terrific DA album, particularly “Tremolo” and the great “A Humble Man Rises.” (The full line is, “A humble man rises to a new low.”) It’s in the second half that the amps are cranked and the real rock begins, Chandler going to town on his four-string while Taylor screams and flails like a man half his age.

What a great little joke, then, to end this album brimming with ideas with a song about running out of them. “This is the Title” describes its own creation as it goes along: “Can only come up with a few lines, I just sang the lines, these are the lines…” (Providence, Rhode Island band Exhibit A had a similar tune called “This is Where You Put the Title.”) It’s a sweet and funny finish, and the whole thing concludes with a reprise of the title track, Daugherty’s lovely waves of guitar the last thing you hear.

And then you press play again.

I’d have waited twice as long for an album this good. The Midget, the Speck and the Molecule is even better than I’d hoped, a genuine triumph for Terry Taylor, and the best thing he’s contributed to since the last Daniel Amos album in 2001. It’s a prickly, thoughtful, funny, inspiring little disc, one that definitely lives up to the Eddies legacy. But don’t worry – it’s enjoyable even if you’ve never heard of the Eddies or Terry Taylor before.

Get on over to www.danielamos.com and check it out. And while you’re there, try the Lost Dogs’ new one, The Lost Cabin and the Mystery Trees. And then work backwards and pick up everything Taylor and his fellow Dogs have ever done, because it’s all worth hearing.

I only have a burned copy here at work without art. I thought surely one of the audioris would have put the lyrics up on the site by now?! I believe they were credited with some portion of layout or something, so I would think they would already have it electronically (versus one of us typing it in)?

They're coming!
Mainly, we don't want to ruin surprises or jokes by letting folks read it all ahead of actually hearing it... some lines work better if you're not expecting it.

__________________"Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for he shall enjoy everything" -St. Francis of Assisi

Registration Date: 03-18-2002
Posts: 9,520
Location: Grand Encephalon - Words have their place but live what you say God can have His way when you hit them with Love

The Swirling Eddies – The Midget, The Speck, & The Molecule
Some Thoughts by Mark

In listening two words come to mind: perspective & relevance. Terry S. Taylor, err….I mean Camarillo Eddy, is trying to put his life’s work in perspective and pondering his relevance in this world of music.

Terry Taylor has done it again. He has reached into the depths and pulled off another great album, despite great pressure to at least meet high expectations. How this man isn’t the richest songwriter in the world is beyond me? If you speak to Terry, he may actually tell you he is the richest songwriter in the world, but it’s not measured by money. It’s measured by the love of his family, friends, and fans. The fan base may not number in the millions, but Terry has some of the most loyal dedicated fans anywhere on the planet, and that counts for something.

Overall, Camarillo sings the songs more in a voice we’re familiar with, rather than the different voice he uses on the first two Eddies discs. There are some new Eddies on the album.

1. It All Depends – This song is an instant classic. Initially it stands out as my favorite track on the CD. This one just cries the word I already mentioned above: perspective. The lyrics give multiple examples of viewing the same things from differing views. It’s like viewing two sides of the same coin. “Some say death is a doornail, Some say death is a door, and that it’s all just beginning when the fat lady sings.”

2. The Midget, The Speck, And The Molecule - This song seems to be about the Eddies relevance today. At one time looking in a rearview mirror, you start off seeing an old hitchhiker, then a midget, then a speck, then a molecule. Over time, they may feel they are becoming less and less relevant, though they will quickly remind you “I’ve got some words for you, wise words for you.”

3. Madonna Inn – This song musically sounds like something that could have fit on Zoom Daddy somewhere between “I Had A Bad Experience With The CIA And Now I’m Gonna Show You My Feminine Side” and “Mr. Sharkey”, though lyrically it may be more akin to “Bibleland”in that it is an actual place. In the song, the singer wants to take his lover to Madonna Inn.

4. Giants In The Land – This song seems to be about the Eddies relevance today. At one time back in the 1970’s and early 1980’s there were not many bands singing about the types of things that Daniel Amos or the Eddies sing about (read: the fringes of CCM). At the time, Daniel Amos was a giant, or big fish in a little pond. As time has marched on, the number of bands doing the same things has greatly increased. The relevance of the old guard is becoming less and less. The song says that if you want to lift them up “You’ve gotta give them a hand.” This is one of the catchiest songs on the album.

5. Salton Sea – This song reminds me of a cross between The Shins and Modest Mouse, partially because the title makes me think of a song by each of those bands. The song is pretty like a Shins song, and no, Camarillo does not sing like the singer from Modest Mouse. This is another song about a real place.

6. My Cardboard Box – This is a song about a homeless man who used to make the big bucks, but now lives in a cardboard box and wants to bring a girl home.

7. Snow In A Can – This song talks about technology or the evolution of products. We can now package many things that would have been unheard of many years ago, “they got apples in shampoo…”

8. Medley Of Our Hit – This is a song that relates the whole development of the CD you currently hold and are listening to. This describes the trials and tribulations in being a cult band trying to stay relevant to its fans. In order to afford to make a new album, many fans pre-paid for an upcoming CD. This money financed a “pre-order”. After the initial pre-order was announced, several things occurred in the band members’ lives that slowed down the release of the album. A group of the bands’ most loyal fans were drooling for the album’s release and grew impatient waiting. This led to a squabble that is described in this song. Though some of his loyal fans may initially take offense at being singled out in the song, if you listen closely, Camarillo mocks himself for taking pre-orders and making a promise that took longer than he expected to fulfill. He also alludes to the fact that in the big picture it is nothing to get so upset about. The other thing is that the song is “The Medley Of Our Hit”, acknowledging that the band has never become a million seller and has remained a cult band. Camarillo does admit that he cranks songs out like sausages.

9. Tremolo – “Who’s that baby crying…” the chorus sings and then you hear Camarillo start crying like a baby. This song has a great vibe.

10. A Humble Man Rises – “A humble man rises to a new low” and “I’m gonna love you in spite of yourself. I’m gonna love you in spite of myself. Can you love me too just like I love you all in spite of ourselves?” and “You’re stronger and you’re strongest when your knees are weak.” We need to be humble and realize our faults and love ourselves and each other in spite of ourselves.

11. This Is The Title/The Old Hitchhiker – This is a song about writing a song. It may be another song sung tongue in cheek about the delay in getting the CD released. Camarillo writes the lyrics in order to have lyrics so he can get the CD released. It’s like when Larry Norman sings “I don’t really have a verse to go here, so I’ll just let the band play a little bit.”

Terry has learned what his relevance in this world is and is putting it all in perspective. He is touching people’s lives a thousand, ten, or one at a time. He’s doing what he does best, on his own terms, but he continues because he knows his fans love him, and he loves them back.

__________________But never, never pin your whole faith on any human being: not if he is the best and wisest in the whole world. - C.S. Lewis

After over a decade of inactivity, 2007 finds the Swirling Eddies serving up The Midget, The Speck and the Molecule, their first release of original music since 1994’s masterpiece Zoom Daddy. Released by Stunt Records, it is available now through the band's website .

If you are unfamiliar with the Eddies, they are the brainchild of frontman Daniel Amos and songwriter extraordinaire Terry Scott Taylor (who, along with the other Eddies, uses a pseudonym here. His happens to be Camarillo Eddy.) Known most recently for his work with Lost Dogs as well as producing the soundtrack for Nickelodeon’s cartoon, Catscratch, Taylor returns here to the mad experiment, The Swirling Eddies, who, throughout the years, has produced some of the most innovative and intelligent music in the Christian realm.

Yes, Taylor and the Eddies are Christians in the truest sense, and by that, I mean they forsake shallow religiosity for the deeper waters of real faith, divine grace and love. Never the makings of cookie cutter Christian radio, the Eddies proudly chart the waters of their own humanity, holding fast to faith. To saddle them with the “Christian Music” label is to do them an injustice, yet in some ways they offer a more realistic view of faith than those syrupy sweet groups that Nashville cranks out to the sound of cash registers ringing.

The Midget, The Speck and the Molecule begins with what may be Taylor’s finest vocal performance in “It All Depends,” a well-crafted tune about human perspective, containing my favorite lyric on the album:

Some say death is a doornail
Some say death is a door
And that it’s all just beginning
When the fat lady sings
I suppose it all depends
How you look at these things

Taylor relies, as he often does, on his knowledge of California lore and geography in songs like “Salton Sea” and “Madonna Inn.” Both songs are quirky gems that seem like a half-breed born of Daniel Amos’ Songs From the Heart and the aforementioned Zoom Daddy. These songs will not put the Eddies on the map of mainstream radio, but fans of the Eddies will no doubt come to relish them for the delicate works of genius they are.

“Giants in the Land,” one of the sneak peek tunes offered to those who pre-ordered the CD, is a driving autobiographical look at being a dinosaur of Christian rock in an age when everyone is looking for the newest and hottest act. Again, Taylor weaves a tapestry of lyrics like few can, touching on his own history with the Nashville machine:

The chickens roostin’, the cows home in the barn
The farmer didn’t know it ‘til he bought the farm
He’s outstanding in the field that did him in
He’s been growin’ what he’s sowin’ ‘til he reaped the wind
We’re all of us farmers singing this refrain
"Oh, Lord of the Harvest, please remember my name!”

Among the more humorous songs on the effort is “Medley of Our Hit,” which finds the Eddies poking good-natured fun at both themselves and the handful of fans who grumbled about the lateness of the CD's release, including a reminder that:

Compared to coming glory
It don’t compare a bit
Just another sad story
Of another piece of hit

“This Is The Title” also strikes the funny bone, leading us through the creation of another song before drifting into “The Old Hitchhiker,” itself a continuation from the album’s title track.

Perhaps it’s because I’m a newlywed who longs to give more to his wife than he may ever be able to afford, but I find “Cardboard Box” to be a lovely sentiment. Sung from the perspective of a homeless man in love, Taylor expresses to his wife the longing to give her the best he can:

“Tremolo” and “Snow in a Can” are weaker tunes than the others, but when it comes to Taylor’s writing, that’s like saying “A Day In the Life” is a weaker tune by the Beatles than “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” It’s all shades of good here, folks. There isn’t a stinker in the bunch, but the Eddies are an acquired taste for those who don’t like truth spelled out for them. Layer after layer, you’ll find more and more to love here, so if you’re ready to experience something beautifully different, give the Eddies a spin. Chances are you’ll enjoy the ride.

Registration Date: 11-27-2004
Posts: 7,570
Location: "Clowns to the left of me! Jokers to the right! Here I AM stuck in the middle with you." - Stealers Wheel

quote:

Originally posted by audiori
Swirling Eddies: The Midget, The Speck & The Molecule
by Jeffrey Patrick Lemarr Sunday, 05 August 2007

Among the more humorous songs on the effort is “Medley of Our Hit,” which finds the Eddies poking good-natured fun at both themselves and the handful of fans who grumbled about the lateness of the CD's release, including a reminder that:

Compared to coming glory
It don’t compare a bit
Just another sad story
Of another piece of hit

He mentions it.

__________________"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence." ~ Robert Frost

I've posted a few times, mainly when my dad passed away. "Soon" was one his favorite songs, so I remember posting something about playing it at his funeral. I later got a chance to thank Terry for what his music has meant to my family.

That said, if the album had been crap, I would have said so. I'm still processing the CD (I was a pre-orderer from way back), but already I think it's genius. Since Infuze has published some of my poetry and fiction, I submitted the review, hoping they would humor me and publish it. If even one new fan is born from the effort, it's all good.

As for the controversy, I don't know any involved on a personal level, so it didn't interest me. But there wasn't really a way to talk about "Medley of Our Hit" without mentioning the "controversy" in passing. I'm fairly certain I would have deducted the point of it even had I not been a lurker.